I review the theory of the scattering of a Gaussian laser beam by a dielectric spherical particle and give the details for constructing a computer program to implement the theory. Computational results indicate that if the width of the laser beam is much less than the diameter of the particle and if the axis of the beam is incident near the edge of the particle, the fifth-, sixth-, and ninth-order rainbows should be evident in the far-field scattered intensity. I performed an experiment that yielded tentative evidence for the presence of the sixth-order rainbow.

DOI

10.1364/JOSAA.10.000693

Version

Publisher's PDF

Publisher's Statement

This paper was published in Journal of the Optical Society of America A: Optics Image Science and Vision and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://www.opticsinfobase.org/josaa/abstract.cfm?URI=josaa-10-4-693. Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law.

Citation Information

Lock, James A. "Contribution of High-Order Rainbows to the Scattering of a Gaussian Laser Beam by a Spherical Particle." Journal of the Optical Society of America A: Optics Image Science and Vision 10 (1993): 693-706.